These stitchies gave me the itchies.

I realize it's been quite some time since I've updated my blog. A lot has happened. First, there was another local stitchy get-together by DMC Philippines. This was when they launched their Team Manila patterns. I'll be updating a little bit at a time as I don't want to jumble everything up.

Sheer loyalty to my local DMC makes me temper my words... before anything else, I want to say I LOVE DMC. But I don't want to sugar coat and pretend I like the latest designs.

The patterns are designed by Team Manila. Funky designs for Printed shirts. Yes, it promotes the country.  (Of all people, you'd hear me cheer for that. Go PHILIPPINES!!) Yes, we hear you say you were targeting the youth. But here's my constructive thoughts on it:

Cross Stitching is done by those who want TIMELESS designs that would stand the test of time. If you were targeting the youth, the patterns are great but it would've been better making them into SMALL KITS instead. I don't think the youth, especially teenagers, would take hours of their life stitching the same color... over and over again. It's like a poster! I know I wouldn't have the patience for it. You're talking thousands of stitches...on the same color. Now on the other hand, if they had made patterns of the actual sceneries or landmarks... then, it would be worth stitching such a big size. But why would we want to stitch up a poster? I wouldn't even buy the poster, let alone stitch it up. Designs like Team Manila's belong on the funky Tshirts they were originally designed for.

Whoever approved the team manila designs and decided to make it into BIG poster sizes... hmm... may I suggest asking/making a survey of the local stitchers and asking them what they would want to stitch/spend on? I can't believe no one thought of making them into small kits-- since they did say they're targetting the youth. These are team manila designs...I've seen their SMALL posters in their shops. I wonder why the marketing person/folk decided to make it as a BIGGER cross stitch pattern. Bet he or she does not stitch. Or else she'd know how...err... mind-numbing it is to stitch the same color for hours and hours and hours and hours and hours...

Here are the pics so you can see for yourself what I mean... take note-- each project is huge...  forgot the stitch counts but let's just say it's more or less 200++ x 250++ stitches...

I love this sign post. If they can make the arrows into a shirt or better yet a bag, I'll totally buy it. 

Now, with all that being said, I do want to say DMC came up with a brill plan. They called me aside and asked me to form a local club. A local stitching club. And with the people that came to support DMC that day, we decided to call the club EKIS@KARAYOM (literal translation is X's and Needles). 

We brainstormed on the name and voted for it. And decided to meet once a month, every 4th saturday. 

If it weren't for DMC, our little stitching group wouldn't have grown so fast. So... thank you DMC for the idea. :) I'll do my best to promote Cross Stitching and bring it back to the forefront of craftsmaking. 

Oh! Here's our beautiful DMC girls. The women who have wholeheartedly supported us and who keeps us smiling. (*clap-clap-clap*)

And here are the folks who helped form EKIS@KARAYOM. :)